How do I maximize the space of PAC-MAN?

[Superiorstar]

I'm trying to main PAC-MAN and I find it very hard to charge at lower percents due to how much distance my opponent is covering and how low PAC-MAN's knockback growth is, how do I maximize space to charge my fruit?

 

[NewE]

Hide behind hydrant
Double jump charge
Or trampoline
Or juz fight up close and knock them off stage then charge

 

[Superiorstar]

Hide behind hydrant
Double jump charge
Or trampoline
Or juz fight up close and knock them off stage then charge

The one thing that's terrible about PAC-MAN is that his aerials have little range and send you nowhere fast, so being aggressive with him is almost impossible due to these limitations, since his grab is so terrible I have huge trouble trying to hit characters off the stage unless they run into my Forward smash.
oh, I never thought of trampoline or double jump, I just checked the frame data of trampoline and it seems like a good option, thanks.

 

[xzx]

The one thing that's terrible about PAC-MAN is that his aerials have little range and send you nowhere fast, so being aggressive with him is almost impossible due to these limitations, since his grab is so terrible I have huge trouble trying to hit characters off the stage unless they run into my Forward smash.
oh, I never thought of trampoline or double jump, I just checked the frame data of trampoline and it seems like a good option, thanks.

Welcome to a low tier.

 

[NouveauRétro]

The one thing that's terrible about PAC-MAN is that his aerials have little range and send you nowhere fast, so being aggressive with him is almost impossible due to these limitations, since his grab is so terrible I have huge trouble trying to hit characters off the stage unless they run into my Forward smash.
oh, I never thought of trampoline or double jump, I just checked the frame data of trampoline and it seems like a good option, thanks.

Nair has decent enough kb if you carry them to the ledge with fair.

 

[ZeoLightning]

Learn to box your opponent, and make them semi respect you at close distance, if you cant do that, you will get CONSTANTLY harassed while charging fruit

 

[Fruit_Hax]

If it's sending them nowhere fast you could always just create mixup strings since you'll still be right next to them even after punishing.

 

[BSP]

I'm trying to main PAC-MAN and I find it very hard to charge at lower percents due to how much distance my opponent is covering and how low PAC-MAN's knockback growth is, how do I maximize space to charge my fruit?

I tend to go against the grain with my opinion on Pac-Man, but here's what I think:

During a match, and especially at the beginning of one, you should be vying for stage control over charging fruit. Fruit charge should come when you've created a good opportunity to do so, and not before.

In order to do this, on the tri-platform stages like battlefield and dreamland, I would recommend using the trampoline heavily to force people to approach you from the air, and possibly through platforms.

On stages like FD, DH (I recommend you avoid these two), SV, Lylat, and T&C, I would open matches trying to get some stage control, and then try to charge to fruit of choice.

The low base/growth knockback of Pac-Man's attacks makes it difficult to force people away at low %, but it does make the easier to combo. I would recommend you look to actually fight, then charge fruit if you opponent lets you or if you have spare time.